Chapter 4

I stayed at a friend’s place for four days.

On the fourth evening, my dad called.

“Tony, what’s going on with you? Abby called today and said you two had a fight. Go home and talk things through.”

I lay on the couch and pressed my fingers to my temple. “Dad, we broke up.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

“What do you mean, you broke up?”

Dad’s voice rose sharply. “Abby explained everything. That poor kid, Gene, lost his parents. What’s so terrible about her helping him out?

“Besides, aren’t you two best friends? You used to say we should do more for him. Why are you suddenly being petty?”

My grip tightened around the phone. My nails dug into my palm.

“She used the money I spent four years saving to buy a house with Gene.”

My dad paused, then sighed. “Then, have her put the house in your name instead. She’s still doing everything she can to win you back, isn’t she?

“You’re twenty-six. Do you really think you’ll find someone with more to offer than Abby? She comes from a good family and has a stable career. Think carefully before you throw all that away.”

“I have just as much to offer as Abby does.” A dull ache spread through my chest. “I don’t need her.”

“That’s enough, Tony. Abby has been more than good to you. Stop being so childish,” my dad continued.

All I could hear was a dull ringing in my ears. I hung up the phone.

The doorbell suddenly rang.

Thinking it was my food delivery, I opened the door.

Gene stood outside with a smug smile. He raised his left hand and flashed the gold band on his ring finger.

I recognized it immediately.

It was a wedding ring.

“Tony, Abby wanted to keep this from you a little longer, but I didn’t feel right lying to you. So, I decided it was time you knew the truth. Abby and I got married at the courthouse last month.

“We bought that house as a married couple, so your name was never going to be on it. As for that purchase agreement? I left it there for you to find.”

He pulled out his phone and showed me their courthouse wedding photo. Their beaming faces seemed to mock me.

I leaned against the doorframe. Pain shot from my injured fingertip into my chest, but somehow, it only made my thoughts clearer.

“What of it? Are you here to gloat?” I asked coldly.

Gene’s smile was casual, but the triumph in his eyes was unmistakable. “I want you to stay away from my wife.”

“Don’t worry. Abby and I have broken up,” I replied calmly. “Gene, you and I are no longer friends.”

I started to close the door, but he stepped forward and blocked it with his hand.

“I was never your friend.” His smile turned cruel. “I’ve wanted Abby for years. I was always going to make her mine.”

Without warning, Gene threw himself backward and crashed to the floor.

“Gene!”

Abby’s furious shout came from behind him.

She rushed forward and pulled Gene into her arms before shoving me aside with all her strength.

I hit the floor hard. My knee slammed against the threshold. The skin of it was torn and bleeding.

She did not even glance at me. “Tony, you’ve gone too far! Gene came all this way to apologize, and you attacked him when he was trying to make peace!”

“Is that what he told you?” I asked.

Abby looked thoroughly annoyed. “You’ve caused all this drama over one dinner and a house. That’s why Gene had to swallow his pride and come to apologize to you.”

I nearly laughed at the absurdity of it all. “Abby, since you’re married to Gene, stay away from me.”

“You found out?”

Abby looked startled, but she quickly became defensive. “Our marriage isn’t real, Tony. It’s only on paper. He lost his health insurance when he left his job, so I was only trying to help him…”

I laughed. “Then, divorce him. Come to the courthouse with me tomorrow and file the papers. Can you do that?”

She froze and said nothing.

I stopped wasting my breath. After cleaning and bandaging my knee, I grabbed my suitcase and walked out.

“Tony, if you walk away now, we’re done!”

Abby called after me.

I did not slow down or look back.